Cleaning apparatus



Y E. H.

MARTINDALE ET AL CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 19, 1933 42 A i l f" wmmm lg o 5 2y 2'0 X! EARL H MARTmDALi. .Lucuzu F. Foasmux-z \NVENTOR3 BY WWW ATTQ Q N EYS Patented Apr. 13, 1937 OFFICE CLEANING Artisans 7 Earl H. Martindale, Lakewood; and Lucien F. Forseille, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignorsv to Martindale Electric Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application September IS, i933, s i511y .e90,0e2 f 8 Claims. (01. 51 1'10) This invention relates to cleaning apparatus, more particularly adapted for use in cleaning and polishing fuse holders, and the like, and anobject of the invention is to provide a new and im- 5' proved apparatus of this character. v l y In the drawing accompanying this specification and forming a part of this application, we have shown, for purposes of illustration, certain embodiments which our invention may assume, and

,10 in this drawing: V

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention, as applied to a cartridge fuse holder, Figure 2 is a central broken sectional .view of the embodimentshown in Figure 1, while Figure 3 is a fragmentary central sectional view, disclosing a different embodiment of the invention. v

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the embodiment therein disclosed comprises a casting I0 having an elongated tubular member ll, terminating at one end in a laterally offset portion l2, forming with the tubular member a shoulder l3, and the offset portion I2 is provided with bifurcated extensions [4, for a purpose hereinafter described and rigidly secured to the exterior sur face of the tubular member H is ahandgrip I 5 of l ek l ie" 9r he wt b ele rieie u jt n jinaterial; and interposed between the shoulder 3013 1 e e e e t n ti n ri .5,, t asemi-circular disk"l6;alsooffBakelite,, or ther suitable, electric insulating material, against which the side of the, hand of ,the user who grasps'thehand gripl'i mayrest; V I, 35 Centrally disposed and longitudinally extend ing through the tubular member 7H isa bore IB reduced at its opposite ends for the rotatable reception of a drive shaft 20, which is limitedin longitudinal movement to the left with respect to 4 the tubular member'll, as viewed in Figure 2,

by means of a collarand screw'fl abutting t against the extreme end of the 'tubularmember l I. Detachably secured to one end of theIdrivTe shaft 20, by means of a screw 22;,is a crank" 25,

45 suitably electrically insulated from the drive shaft 20 by insulation interposed therebetween, as indicated at 2B, and the crank 125flisprovided "with aknob 2T adapted to befg'rasped by. the other hand of the user. Abore 29e s radi} 50 ally through the tubular member I ndr hand ,grip l5 and communicates 'th'thelongitudinal bore I9," whereby the drive;shaft";mayj be oiled.

Rig-idly'connected td'th'e' opposite'le d of the drive shaft 20 is a beveled gear 30, andinte'rposed her! I isafibre washer 3|. The gear 30 meshes with'a correspondingly beveled gear 32 rigidly carried at one end of a shaft 33 journaled in the bifurcated extensions [4, and between which is a larger gear 34, and secured to the shaft 33 and in mesh with a smaller gear 35 rigidly carried by a shaft 36' journaled in the bifurcated extensions I4."

The ends of the shaft 36 project equidistant beyondtthe bifurcated extensions l4 and are each threaded for engagement with a correspondingly threaded member 40, are cleaning and polishing member 4|. Embracing each of the members 40 is suitable, electrically non-conducting, flexible cleaning material 42 adapted to intimately engage the 'If use engaging surfaces 43 of each of the opposedresilient 'jaws 39 of a pair of fuse clips or holders 44, which are disposed in a fusebox 45"and arc connected in an electric circuit, and the fuse clips 44 are space in predetermined relation with respect to each other to normally detachably grip and hold the terminal contacts 46 of acartridgfe fuse 41, as will be understood by those skilled intheart.

fl n operation, the fuse 41 is removed from the fuseengaging surfaces 43 of the fuse clips 44,

and thejhand grip I5 is grasped, in this instance, with the left handof the user, the side of the left hand 'beingin contact with the insulated semi-circular disk 16, The cleaning elements or mem ers are then inserted between the opposediresilientjjaws '39 of the fuse holders 44, by pressing, the left hand against the insulated semicircular disk lfi, with consequent yielding of the flexible material 42 which intimately contacts each of the fuse engaging'surfaces 43 of the jaws 39 of. the fuse clips 44, and the fuse engaging surfaces 43 grip an hold the cleaning member 4| in the same position as that normally occupied by the fuse 41. The right hand of the user then asps the knob 21 and upon rotation of the crank 25 fthe cleaningmembers 4'lrevolve and the flexible material 42 conforms to the contour of the fuse engaging surfaces 43 of the fuse holders 44, and 'rubs against the same, removing the foreign matter, and polishing the fuse engaging surfaces 43. p

In Figure'3 we disclose .a somewhat different embodiment of theinvention, comprising a casting 50 having an elongated tubular member 5!,

11101; completely shown, terminating at one end Tin aflongitudinallyextending yoke 52, forming vvi'thv the tubular member 5t an annular should er 53 "and rigidly secured to the exterior surhe te a h i b ime r re 9 were m mbe .5 1 hand t i 54, not completely shown, similar to the hand grip 5 hereinbefore described, and interposed between the shoulder 53 and the adjacent end of the hand grip 54 is a circular disk 55, of Bakelite, or other suitable electric insulating material, against which the side of the hand of the user who grasps the hand grip 54, may rest.

Centrally disposed in the tubular member 5| is a drive shaft 60, not completely shown, to which is secured at one end a beveled gear BI, and at the opposite end a crank, not shown, all respectively similar in construction and operation to the drive shaft 20, beveled gear30, and crank hereinbefore described. The beveled gear 6| is in mesh with a correspondingly beveled gear 62 rigidly carried by a shaft 63 journaled in the arms 64 of the yoke 52, and the shaft 63 is supplied with cleaning and polishing members 65 similar to the cleaning members 4|, hereinbefore described, and are adapted for rotatable frictional engagement with the fuse engaging surfaces 43 of the fuse clips 44.

From the foregoing it will be perceived that our apparatus can be used with perfect safety on live circuits; that the foreign matter is completely removed from the fuse engaging portion of the fuse clips, cleaning the fuse clips, providing a smooth surface for uniform contact with the terminal ends of a fuse, with consequent saving in power loss, reduction in resistance, reduction in heat, and premature blowing of the fuses. It will also be seen that the force exerted by the hand of the user grasping the hand grips i5 and 54 is applied against the insulated semicircular disk IG and circular disk 55 and transmitted centrally between the cleaning members 4|, whereby the pressure exerted on the fuse clips 44 is equally distributed thereon.

Our apparatus can easily be motor driven by removing the crank 25 and connecting the drive shafts 20 or 50 to a suitable source of power. The shape of the cleaning members 4| can be as required, and the abrasiveness of the cleaning material 42 altered, all depending upon the type of fuse clips to be cleaned.

It will be understood by those, skilled in the art that we have accomplished at least the prin-' cipal object of our invention,and at the same time it will be obvious that the embodiments of our invention herein disclosed and described embody advantages other than those particularly pointed out or suggested herein, and. that they may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit of our invention or sacrificing the advantages thereof; accordingly it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the disclosure herein is illustrative only and that our invention is not. limited thereto.

We claim:

1. A cleaning apparatus for removing foreign substances from surfaces disposed in a live circuit, comprising: an elongated support having a bifurcated portion; a rotatably mounted axle extending transversely through and terminating beyond the furcations of said. portion and carrying a gear member; a cleaning element secured to each terminal end of said axle, and engageable with the surface to be cleaned; a drive shaft extending through said support; gear means operatively connecting said drive shaft with the gear member on said axle; means for rotating said drive shaft, and an electrically insulated hand rest, carried by said support and projecting laterally therefrom, against which a hand of the user of said cleaning apparatus may apply pressure without receiving electric shock.

2. A cleaning apparatus for removing foreign substances from surfaces disposed in a live circuit, comprising: an elongated support having a bifurcated portion; a rotatably mounted axle extending transversely through and terminating beyond the furcations of said portion and carrying a gear member; a cleaning element secured to each terminal end of said axle, and engageable with the surface to be cleaned; a drive shaft extending through said support; gear means operatively connecting said drive shaft with the gear member on said axle; means for rotating said drive shaft; a hand rest of rigid insulating material projecting laterally from said support; and a shoulder on said support forming an abutting surface for said hand rest, against which a hand of the user of said cleaning apparatus may apply pressure without receiving electric shock.

3. A cleaning apparatus for removing foreign substances from surfaces disposed in a live circuit, comprising: an elongated support having a bifurcated portion; a. rotatably mounted axle extending transversely through and terminating beyond the furcations of said portion and carrying a gear member; a cleaning element secured to each terminal end of said axle, and engageable with the surface to be cleaned; a drive shaft extending through said support; gear means operatively connecting said drive shaft with the gear member on said axle; means for rotating said drive shaft; electrically insulated hand grip means carried by said support; a shoulder on said support spaced from one end of said hand grip means; and an electrically insulated hand rest interposed between said hand grip means and said shoulder, whereby a hand of the user of said cleaning apparatus may grasp said hand grip means, resting said hand against said hand rest, applying pressure thereagainst, without receiving electric shock.

4. Apparatus for cleaning electric fuse holders, comprising: means carrying a cleaning element engageable with saidfuse holder; an elongated supporting member for said carrying means, and having hand grip means for the user of said cleaning apparatus; a rest extending laterally from said' supporting member and having an abutting surface against which a hand of the user may rest, said supporting member and said abutting surface being insulated to protect the user of said cleaning apparatus from electric shock; and mechanism, operatively connected with said cleaning element, for imparting operativemovement thereto. 7

5. Apparatus for cleaning electric fuse holders, comprising: a cleaning element engageable with a fuse holder; carrying means for carrying said cleaning element; an elongated member having a portion thereof rotatably supporting said carrying means, and having an electrically insulated portion adapted to be gripped by a hand of the user of said cleaning apparatus; a drive shaft journaled in said elongated member; means for operatively connecting said drive shaft with said carrying means; means for rotating said drive shaft; and an electrically insulated hand rest, carried by said elongated member and projecting laterally therefrom, against which a hand of the user of said cleaning apparatus may rest.

6. Apparatus for cleaning electric fuse holders comprising: a cleaning element engageable with a fuse holder; carrying means for carrying said 10 tecting a user of said apparatus from electric shock in applying said apparatus to and in using it in cleaning fuse holders, including an insulated hand grip portion on said elongated supporting means, and including also means for preventing the hand of a user, grasping said hand grip portion, from slipping off of said hand grip portion toward said cleaning element thereby to prevent engagement of the hand of a user with an exposed fuse holder.

'7. Apparatus for cleaning electric fuse holders comprising: a cleaning element engageable with a fuse holder; metallic carrying means for carrying said cleaning element; elongated metallic supporting means, for supporting said metallic carrying means, so constructed and arranged that said cleaning element is supported by and for operative movement relative to said supporting means; means, carried by said sup- 30 porting means and operatively related to said carrying. means, constructed and arranged to impart operative movement to said cleaning element; and protecting means for protecting a user of said apparatus from electric shock in applying said apparatus to and in using it in cleaning fuse holders, including insulating means serving as a hand grip portion, said insulating means overlying said supporting means and leaving exposed a part thereof between said insulating means and said cleaning element, and said protecting means including also means for preventing the hand of a user, grasping said hand grip-portion, from slipping 01f of said hand grip portion onto said exposed part or against an exposed fuse holder.

8. Apparatus for cleaning electric fuse holders comprising: a cleaning element engageable with a fuse holder; metallic carrying means for carrying said cleaning element; elongated supporting means, for supporting said carrying means, so constructed and arranged that said cleaning element is supported laterally from and for operative movement relative to said supporting means; movement imparting metallic means, carried by said supporting means and operatively related to said carrying means, constructed and arranged to impart operative movement to said cleaning element; actuating means, including an exposed metallic portion, constructed and arranged to actuate said movement imparting means; and protecting means, for protecting a user of said apparatus from electric shock in applying said I apparatus to and in using it in cleaning fuse holders, including means for insulating said exposed portion of said actuating means from said movement imparting means, and including also an insulated hand grip portion on said elongated supporting means, and including also means for preventing the hand of a user, grasping said hand grip portion, from slipping off of said hand grip portion toward said cleaning element thereby to prevent engagement of the hand .of a user with an exposed fuse holder.

EARL H. MARTINDALE. LUCIEN F. FORSEILLE. 

